In Panama, the incentive of $7.50 applied to each hundredweight of paddy rice has been extended for the period from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019.

The Ministry of Agricultural Development (Mida) reported that in addition to the incentive of $7.50, it has been established that the price of a hundredweight of rice will be $17, (depending on the variations that occur in terms of promotions or discounts), which will be paid by the mills and intermediaries to local producers.

For the Nicaraguan coffee sector, the difficulty in obtaining workers has worsened, especially in areas such as Nueva Segovia and Matagalpa.

The coffee trade union affirms that in the 2016-2017 cycle approximately 200 thousand hundredweight were lost, and in what has occurred so far of the 2017-2018 harvest, part of the production has also been lost.Entrepreneurs in the sector argue that, in both cases, it is due to a lack of grain cutters.

The import of 130,000 hundredweight and an estimated production of 80,000 between November and December will guarantee supply of the product and the balance of consumption, according to the Central Bank of Nicaragua.

Grupo Duwest has announced the acquisition of Cafesa, a company that traded agricultural products and machinery, which until now belonged to Yara International.

Both Duwest and Cafesa are engaged in the marketing of agricultural products and machinery in Central America.Raimundo Rojas, CEO of Duwest, confirmed to Nacion.com that"... the acquisition and recent investments amounted to $12 million."

Between 2015 and 2016, the total value of imported insecticides, herbicides and fungicides in Central American countries increased by 6%, going from $632 million to $668 million.

Figures from the information system on thethe Market for Insecticides, Herbicides and Fungicides in Central America, compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit atCentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Clic para interactuar con la gráfica"]

Legislative approval has been given to the reform of the Law for the Transformation and Development of Coffee Production which integrates the sturdy variety into the agricultural policy model.

The reform to Law 853 includes the creation of an Executive Secretariat for the National Commission for the Conversion and Development of Coffee (Conatradec), incorporating representatives of the public sector and the private sector.

An executive decree recently published in La Gaceta, regulates the procedure for the registration of new varieties for commercialization, whose implementation, for 40 years, has been the responsibility of the National Seed Office (ONS by its initials in Spanish), in order to minimize the risks in Production and promote healthy trade among seed trading companies. The Decree is number 40300-MAG, published on April 26, of this year, in La Gaceta No. 78.

Almost $100 million is the export value of the over 500 species and three thousand varieties of ornamental plants, cut flowers and foliage shipped in 2015.

Of the total production of flowers, ornamental plants and foliage,80% goes to the international market, while the remaining 20% is sold locally.In 2015 salesabroad totaled $95.3 million, and between January and August this year the figure has already exceeded $70 million.

The aim is to open markets in Europe and Asia in order to offset the decline projected in tobacco exports to the US because of new FDA regulations.

The goal of the Nicaraguan Cigar Association is to gain a "... 20% increase in sales to Europe, where a little less than 10% of the product is consumed, as the rest currently goes to the United States."

Producers in Chiriqui intend to expand production, increase productivity, and build their own refinery.

An article on Laestrella.com.pa reports that "...Palm oil producers in the province of Chiriqui, grouped into different cooperatives operating in the district of Baru, are aiming to increase productivity and also have their own refinery, in order to be more competitive. "

Recognized Brazilian company of backhoe loaders, telescopic, articulated and other types of cranes looking for companies interested in representing the brand and distributing their machinery in Central America and Mexico.The company manufactures and sells telescopic,...